SelfConcious
by Seibri-Senju
Summary: "Kurenai slowly set down the scissors on her dresser and took a deep breath. She was afraid to look at the mirror."
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hmm... I've been obsessed with this couple lately so... here's a cute little story that was stuck in my head! Enjoy!

Kurenai slowly set down the scissors on her dresser and took a deep breath. She was afraid to look at the mirror. Her heart was pounding, then roaring, and she opened her eyes which met with a mirrored image of herself... she blinked a couple times. Kurenai then pursed her lips and her brows furrowed in an awkward fashion. _All those years of letting grow out... gone _she thought to herself.

Gone was right: those long, brunette locks that people (and herself) had come to know and love were now a figment of the past. Said locks were now lying in puny heaps on the dresser and floor. All because of her stupid mission! One of her opponents on said mission had perfected an ability that allowed them to send chakra through their arms, convert it to fire, and send it out of the hands. Dodging the "Neanderthal" was no problem although her hair never stood a chance.

"It can't be much worse than this..." Kurenai said to herself while walking to the Hokage Tower. She desperately hoped that no one would recognize her. "Oh, this is so embarrassing! What am I going to say to Lady Tsunade? She's bound to ask..." Next thing she knew, Kurenai was at the door. She gulped involuntarily and knocked on the door, hoping no one would answer.

"Enter!" Dammit.

"Sorry to bother you ma'am..!" Kurenai said to a busily working Godaime.

"You're fine; I was almost finished anyway." Tsunade replied cheerfully. That cheer was soon replaced with quiet surprise when she got a full look at Kurenai.

"I have my mission report."The brunette jonin said averting her eyes to the floor.

The report was exchanged without a word. Kurenai bowed in respect and calmly walked out of the office, closing the door behind her. It was all she could do not to cry her eyes out on the walk home. That was _the_ most embarrassing moment of Kurenai's life. _I wonder if anyone would notice if I got a wig... nah it wouldn't work! _Kurenai thought hopelessly.

"Hey, Kurenai, is that you?" ...Oh no... not him, not now! Kurenai reluctantly turned around to find her lover Asuma coming towards her. "I think I'm going to be sick..." she said under her breath. "I'm sorry, Asuma, but I-I can't talk right now, I have to go home and check on some things!" Kurenai felt a tear rolled down her cheek as she turned and ran the rest of the way home. The tears didn't stop coming after that.

Asuma, being just as confused as he could be, started for Kurenai's house wanting to see what was up with her.


	2. Chapter 2

_-::Chapter 2::-_

Kurenai clumsily stumbled into her own home blinded by tears. She couldn't even make it to her couch; falling forward, the brunette finally let it go and cried out like a small child for their mother.

(-::~x~::-)

"Maybe I'll just take a hot shower and try to forget this whole day..." Kurenai said as she leisurely undressed herself, stepped in the shower, and turned the knobs slowly. Water poured from the faucet as Kurenai held her hand under it, feeling for a satisfactory temperature. Pulling on the stopper Kurenai held her head back as the water spouted from the showerhead with a low hiss. _It's true what they say, _Kurenai thought, _no matter how old she is there is always that self-conscious teenage girl in the woman... _She couldn't help but smile and giggle at the thought. Suddenly, Kurenai's sharp ears heard a knock at the door. She turned off the water, stepped fairly quickly out of the tub, grabbed a towel from the wrack and tied it around herself. Poking her head out of the bathroom, she called, "Who is it?" A voice answered back, "It's me, Asuma! I came to check and see if you're alright!" Oh crap. Bull crap, even! Asuma couldn't see her like this... "J-Just a minute!" The brunette darted out of the bathroom, into her bedroom, pulled on some underwear and a dress and suddenly stopped; her hair! What could she do? _Forget this! _Kurenai nervously walked up to her front door. _Please don't laugh... _Kurenai thought as she shakily grasped the door knob. The brunette opened the door and shut her eyes.

"Hey! I got worried when you started running away." Asuma said as he walked in.

Kurenai looked up at him as he made his way to the couch and sat down. _Does he not notice? _

That's when he looked up at her and smiled, "How was the mission?"

Kurenai just stood there, staring in a confused fashion. "I-It was fine... I saw that you checked on my flowers, thanks."

Asuma chuckled, "It was no big deal! C'mon let's sit together and watch TV or something." He patted the spot next to him.

Kurenai's legs were like jell-o, she couldn't move. That's when she blushed and collapsed to her knees.

Asuma jumped and rushed to her side. "Kurenai what's wrong?" He froze when she looked at him.

Tears were streaming from Kurenai's eyes as she bit her trembling bottom lip. "Asuma..." was all she could manage before falling into him, sobbing heavily. She mumbled something into his chest.

"What..?"

"I said 'what is wrong with you?'"

"What do you mean?"

"You walk in here like everything's the same; I mean did you even_ notice _my hair? It's _hideous!"_

"...No, it's not..." Asuma murmured.

Kurenai stopped and looked up at him.

Asuma's eyes were serious his lips were pursed together. "Who told you it was?"

"N...No one... why?" The brunette sat up a little in Asuma's arms.

"So why would you think it's 'hideous'?"

"Well, today, Lady Tsunade had a look in her eyes whenever she looked at me... but I knew she was just trying to be polite." She heard Asuma mutter something that sounded a lot like "my ass." "Asuma what's the matter? Why are you upset all of a sudden?"

"Because I hate seeing you unhappy! I don't care about how you look, I care about you!" He pulled his girlfriend in close. "Promise me you won't ever call yourself ugly again..."

There was a small silence.

"Promise!" Asuma said more firmly, but not loudly.

"...I promise." Kurenai said as she relaxed into him. A final couple of tears slid down her cheeks. "Thanks, Asuma. I love you."

"I love you too... and, if you want, I can help you trim your hair and even it out a little."

Kurenai lightly laughed, "Yeah... I'd like that."


End file.
